by Leela Ash
“I’m sorry,” he said genuinely. “It’s just, they caught me off guard… Which is stupid, because it’s not like I don’t know their place is there.” He took a step closer and brushed a strand of hair behind Poppy’s ear. “Listen, I’ll fill you in as soon as we get where I want to show you, I promise.” His eyes were so warm, she felt as if she really could trust him, but all of her senses were telling her to run…that she was in danger.
“But… I…” she stammered.
“I know you feel it too…” he said as his hand cupped her cheek. “I felt it the second I saw you in the gas station. I felt it earlier today when I found you sat in my bar. And I feel it right now.”
Her whole body felt on fire and she couldn’t tear herself away. Every word he was saying was true, even though it felt completely crazy. But he was so right, there was something between them that was bigger than anything she had ever felt before. Something instantaneous and so powerful it was impossible to ignore or walk away from. She looked into his eyes and searched for any sign of deceit, but there was nothing but openness and honesty, and she knew that she had to let herself be vulnerable. She had to explore it and have faith. She was an adult and she knew her own mind, and this, in the very moment, was what she wanted more than anything.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Show me.”
Arlo smiled and gripped her hand tightly before he turned and continued to walk along the road.
Main Street was much longer than Poppy had anticipated, and as they carried on forward, she realized how the vibe of the place seemed to change the further they moved away from where they had originally started out at Arlo’s.
He looked down at her as if he was trying to gauge her reaction, but she didn’t look up to meet him. The street seemed warmer down where they were walking now, as if that was in any way possible. The whole atmosphere of the street was more vibrant, the buildings seemed to pop with color and the people who walked around all seemed happier and were grinning from ear to ear.
“Have we stepped into another place?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m glad you noticed,” Arlo said. “Not quite, but I will explain.”
As they carried on walking, Poppy was absolutely fascinated with the life going on around her. All of the shops were still open, selling brightly colored ski wear and steaming cups of hot chocolate and marshmallows.
Arlo wrapped a protective arm around her and waved to everyone they passed with ease and familiarity.
“We’re further up the mountain,” he said. “You won’t have realized when we were walking that we were on an incline.”
Poppy turned and looked behind her and she could see that the road did indeed dip down and they were much higher than the rest of the town.
“Jeez, how did I not notice that,” she laughed. But then she remembered how out of breath she had been.
It was as if the darkened bar with the group of sketchy looking men had been a cutoff point. As if the intersection had almost divided the town in two, and the side they were on now was higher, friendlier and warmer. But when she had been down on Main Street earlier, she had already felt as if that part of town was much nicer than anywhere she had been before. So now, it was as if this new part of town was heaven. It was like being in a fantasy land and even though the cold prickled her skin, she didn’t mind. It was like magic.
Arlo led her toward an older looking tavern and he waved to the big, burly man with a red beard who was guarding the door. He smiled warmly and opened it up for them and as they stepped inside, the sweet scent of ale hit all of Poppy’s senses.
“Wow,” she laughed, “what is this place?”
Everything inside was merry, the lights were low, men and women were drunk on booze and happiness, music blared out from a jukebox in the corner and the chubby, red-cheeked girls behind the bar climbed up and danced along the countertops. They slapped their thighs and swung around each other, laughing with glee, and Poppy couldn’t help but grin and clap her hands.
“You like it?” Arlo asked as he looked down at her.
“God yes!” Poppy laughed and Arlo pulled her closer to him and breathed in every inch of her.
She felt so warm and protected in his arms, and she felt privileged to be shown this secret side of such a wonderful town. It was as if she was being given a backstage pass to a show she should have never seen.
“Come on,” he said, “Let’s sit down.”
He pulled her toward an empty table in the corner and Poppy slid onto the long banquette seat. Arlo turned and looked to the bar and held up his hand; within an instant, a small, rosy-cheeked blonde girl came skipping over with a wide smile on her face.
“Hey, Arlo,” she beamed. “And friend?” She nodded her head down to Poppy with a genuine warmness.
“Hi there,” Poppy smiled.
“What can I get you guys?” the girl held out her hands and presented the bar behind her.
“I’ll take one of Lost Creek’s finest,” Arlo smiled. “And I think Poppy here should try one too.” He raised his eyebrows mischievously.
The waitress clapped her hands together and turned on her heel and Poppy looked around again at all of the people in the bar. They all looked so friendly and kind, so welcoming and warm.
“This is a lovely place,” she said.
“With us being further up the mountain here, we get a lot of skiers on their way home,” he said. “It’s one of the livelier places to go in town.”
“I would never have guessed that this place was even here… That Main Street extended this far,” she said. “It’s so different to down near Arlo’s.”
“Yeah,” he said with a sigh. “It sure is.”
Poppy noticed a sadness come over him and she wanted to probe but didn’t want to overstep any boundaries.
“Hey Boss!” Another one of the waitresses called over and Poppy realized it was to Arlo. He waved back to her and smiled.
“Boss here too?” Poppy laughed. “So you do own this entire town, huh?”
Arlo laughed and looked shy for the first time since she had met him. “Maybe not the whole town,” he said coyly. “But certainly a good chunk of it.”
He was so aloof and mysterious. When she had seen him in the gas station and initially been attracted to him, she had just assumed that he was a trucker making his way across the country.
“So this bar is yours too?” she asked.
Arlo nodded. “My family was some of the original settlers here in Lost Creek,” he said. “A lot of the buildings along Main Street and a lot of the land is ours.” He said it almost with embarrassment.
“So you must know every girl in town then,” Poppy said cheekily to gauge his reaction.
“I do,” he laughed. “And trust me, none of them have ever caught my eye or sparked my interest like you have today…” He trailed off and he was looking deeply into her eyes again.
Every time their eyes met, it felt as if a part of her soul was being broken away and given to him. And it was as if she was collecting pieces of him too. Each passing second brought more familiarity and her attraction was growing.
“Here you go,” the waitress interrupted their moment and placed two heavy tankards down on the wooden table in front of them. “Two of Lost Creeks finest!”
“Thanks, Jo,” Arlo said as she turned and walked away.
“Lost Creeks finest?” Poppy asked as she picked up the tankard of sweet smelling beer.
“It sure is,” Arlo smiled. “Brewed right here by my family themselves.”
Poppy was taken aback, yet again. He was a man of many secrets and surprises. And she couldn’t wait to find out what he had in store for her next.
7.
As they walked arm in arm back down Main Street, Poppy was warm inside and she tottered along on her drunken feet. Arlo was protective over her, and he kept her close, making sure that she was steady and that he helped her back down the mountain toward the middle of Main Street.
“Yo
u never did tell me who they were,” Poppy said as they approached the intersection.
The bar that they had passed earlier with the group of men outside still looked dark and moody, but there was thumping music drifting out into the night from inside and two tall men wearing sunglasses flanked the doorway.
Arlo snarled again in their direction but carried on walking. He pulled Poppy with him and when they were far enough away, he leaned in closer to her ear.
“Lost Creek is a town of two halves,” he said quietly. “My friends and I run one part of town and the guys who we saw earlier… The one’s outside that bar…they run the other.” His voice was full of venom as he said it. So much so that it made Poppy nervous.
“And I take it there is some rivalry?” she asked cautiously.
“More than just a bit,” he said. “It goes back a long, long way… They’re no good.”
Poppy turned and looked back to the intersection. They had walked past the bar to get to what she could only assume was Arlo’s part of town, but the diner which was in his name was clearly at the other end, and therefore, on the other group’s turf.
“But your diner?” she asked with confusion. “If it’s down here, does that mean that it’s in their part of town?”
Arlo looked down at her and smiled.
“You’re smart,” he said. “Yes, it is. My family owned a lot of property down here at one time, and then they all came in and took it over slowly and now they’re trying to turf me out.” He shook his head. “But they won’t win. I’ve owned Arlo’s pretty much since I was born and my dad named it after me. There’s no way I’m going to let them push me away.”
“But…doesn’t it feel uncomfortable?” she asked.
“Sure does,” he laughed. “But I can handle it. I’m not afraid of them.”
“And what’s the deal with Willow?” Poppy asked. She had wanted to ask all evening, but she was only just now getting the courage.
“Willow’s worked for me for years,” he said. “She’s a good member of my team, but sometimes, I do wonder where her loyalties lie.”
Poppy felt an uneasy feeling creep over her. She didn’t like the thought of there being someone in Arlo’s midst who could potentially screw him over.
“Do you trust her?” she asked.
Arlo paused for a moment and thought on it. “Yes, I trust her,” he said finally. “But I’m a firm believer of always being prepared.”
Poppy smiled and squeezed his hand.
They reached the outside of the diner, which was still alive with music and people drinking inside.
“Well, thank you for a lovely evening,” she smiled.
“You don’t think I’d let you walk back on your own, do you?” Arlo asked with a cheeky grin.
“Well, I didn’t want to assume…” she winked.
He wrapped his arm around her and they began their walk back up into the next mountain range. The twinkling lights slowly started to become smaller behind them and they felt like the only two people in the world.
“There are bears out here in this forest,” Arlo said as he looked up at the night sky. “And wolves…”
Poppy shuddered at the thought. Even though she had never been afraid of either animal, the idea of them being around her and stalking her through the night was terrifying.
“There’s no need to be afraid,” he assured her. “But I just want to make sure you get back to your cabin safely.”
“Thank you,” she smiled.
They continued walking and when she saw the familiar shape of her cabin up ahead, she pointed it out to him and he nodded his head.
“I remember these all being built,” he said. “One of the old families in town own them all.”
“I really love it here,” she said. “It must have been wonderful growing up here.”
“It certainly had its moments.”
Arlo looked at her and stopped for a moment. When she turned to face him, he wrapped his big arms around her waist and took hold of the base of her back before he pulled her closer to him. They were under the light of a billion stars shining down on them, and nothing had ever felt more perfect. Even though she had wanted to kiss him since the minute she had laid eyes on him back in the gas station, she was glad that they had waited until they were right there in that very moment.
She reached up and ran her hands across his broad shoulders and when he pressed himself against her and their lips finally met, it was as if things were always meant to have been that way. His tongue flicked against hers and his lips were soft and warm. His whole body felt on fire, she had never felt a heat like it before and she knew deep inside of her that he was different, that he was part man and maybe part something else… but she couldn’t work out what or why.
Maybe it’s just our chemistry… she thought as she ran her hands through his hair.
“I’ve had the most incredible night,” she whispered as their lips parted and she panted with a passion that was overwhelming her. “Thank you for taking me up the mountain…”
“Thank you for coming with me,” he said. “And for trusting me and your instincts.”
They kissed again and then Poppy reluctantly stepped back. She easily could have thrown away all of her cares and ripped his clothes off right then and there, but she wanted to wait. She wanted to get to know him more and she wanted it to be special. Their first kiss had been so perfect, even though they had had more than enough opportunities to lock lips before then, and she was glad it had happened that way.
“Good night, Arlo,” she smiled. And then she turned on her heel and started to walk up the steps to her cabin. She could feel his eyes on her as she made her way to the door and when she turned to wave to him good-bye, he was still standing there, waiting.
“Good night,” he said and it broke through the night.
When she closed the door behind her, she leaned against the wall and sighed. It had been one of the best nights of her life. She was completely smitten.
Poppy sat in the hot, comforting bubbles of the hot tub. Steam rose up into the air around her and the grand vista of the mountains was all laid out before her. She had spent the night having wicked dreams about a big, muscular man who was tearing at her clothes, biting her neck and nibbling her fingertips. He was so big and strong he was like an animal and it turned her on so much she had woken in a sweat, her heart pounding and her pussy moist with desire. Now that she had met Arlo, there was no way she could walk away from him. He was consuming her thoughts every moment, even when she was fast asleep.
In the cabin, the sounds of her family returning from their hikes and a day on the mountain filtered out to meet her and it wasn’t long before James opened the door onto the veranda and ducked outside.
“Hey,” he said as he threw down his backpack and made his way over to the side of the tub.
“Hey,” Poppy smiled from behind her sunglasses. “How was the hike?”
“Lame,” James said. “It’s stunning scenery out there, but I’m bored.” He leaned back onto one of the sun loungers and yawned.
“Did Mom and Dad go with you?” she asked.
James shook his head. “No,” he said. “They argued on half of the walk there and then Mom stormed off into town.”
Poppy rolled her eyes. It sounded like typical behavior from her mother.
“Do you think she’s changed?” Poppy asked.
James thought for a moment and then shrugged. “She definitely isn’t as kind as she used to be,” he said sadly.
Poppy nodded in agreement. She couldn’t help but feel that her mother was just sick of them both and was more than ready to enjoy her adult life, kid free. But Poppy was an adult, she didn’t need her parents and the sooner she could get out of their house, the better.
“Maybe I really shouldn’t have come here,” she said as she trailed off. “Maybe I should have just stayed at home.” Even as she said it, she knew that she didn’t really feel that way because of Arlo. Now that she had m
et him, she knew that she would be forever grateful that she had come to Lost Creek.
“Nah,” James said. “I’m glad you’re here… Keep the old bag in check.”
Poppy burst into laughter and so did James. Even though they had had their moments when they had been growing up, she could see now that he was on the brink of adulthood too. She knew that when she did finally leave and get as far away from her parents as she could, that James would be just fine. He could handle himself and he had shown a certain maturity of late that had made Poppy proud to call him her kid brother.
“Right,” she said as she stood up and reached for her towel. “I better get sorted, I’m heading out tonight.”
“They’re having dinner here,” he said. “And I met some skaters when I was down in town earlier so I may go back to Main Street and hang out.”
“Sounds good,” Poppy beamed. “We can walk down together.”
James nodded and smiled.
They walked down the mountain road and butterflies began to form in Poppy’s stomach. Even though she felt as if she knew Arlo already, it still made her giddy to think about seeing him again. James walked along with his hands in his pockets and his skateboard under his arm and when he saw the group of guys he had been chatting to earlier, he made off, throwing a casual wave over his shoulder as he went.
Poppy could see that Arlo was waiting outside the diner for her and she couldn’t help but grin. He looked so handsome leaning there against the wall, a cigarette clenched between his fingers and a wry smile on his face.
“Hey,” she said as she got closer to him.
“Hey you,” he replied as he wrapped a big arm around her tiny waist and pulled her in closely. He threw his cigarette down on the ground and stared deep into her eyes. When he kissed her, she felt weak at the knees and she ran her hands through his wiry hair.
“It’s so good to see you,” he breathed. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
“Likewise,” she smiled as she bit her bottom lip playfully. And it was true. She hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind. From the second she had woken up, she had been thinking about this moment and what it would be like to kiss him again.
